Bookkeeper vs certified public accountant

The differences between bookkeepers and certified public accountants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a bookkeeper, becoming a certified public accountant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a certified public accountant has an average salary of $76,693, which is higher than the $40,337 average annual salary of a bookkeeper.

The top three skills for a bookkeeper include payroll tax returns, customer service and reconciliations. The most important skills for a certified public accountant are CPA, customer service, and IRS.

Bookkeeper vs certified public accountant overview

	Bookkeeper	Certified Public Accountant
Yearly salary	$40,337	$76,693
Hourly rate	$19.39	$36.87
Growth rate	-5%	6%
Number of jobs	38,481	78,792
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	51	44
Years of experience	6	4

What does a bookkeeper do?

Bookkeepers are employees who are in charge of the company's general ledger. They are well-versed in basic accounting principles, and they apply these in their work. Bookkeepers manage the entry of items in the general ledger, assign items into their proper categories, and ensure that the entries are balanced. They also act as auditors by checking the accuracy and veracity of the receipts or vouchers in their possession before entering them into the system. Bookkeepers ensure that their files are up to date and free of errors.

What does a certified public accountant do?

A certified public accountant (CPA) acts as an advisor to small businesses and chief financial officers to Fortune 500 companies. They typically work for both small and large public accounting firms. They offer advice on many issues, such as accounting and taxation. They aid businesses and individuals to plan and achieve their financial goals. There are several requirements to become a CPA, including having a degree in accounting, passing the CPA examination, and obtaining a CPA license to practice.

Bookkeeper vs certified public accountant salary

Bookkeepers and certified public accountants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bookkeeper	Certified Public Accountant
Average salary	$40,337	$76,693
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $52,000	Between $49,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New York	New Jersey
Best paying company	NTT Data International L.L.C.	Applied Materials
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Finance

Differences between bookkeeper and certified public accountant education

There are a few differences between a bookkeeper and a certified public accountant in terms of educational background:

	Bookkeeper	Certified Public Accountant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Bookkeeper vs certified public accountant demographics

Here are the differences between bookkeepers' and certified public accountants' demographics:

	Bookkeeper	Certified Public Accountant
Average age	51	44
Gender ratio	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%	Male, 43.2% Female, 56.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.4% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between bookkeeper and certified public accountant duties and responsibilities

Bookkeeper example responsibilities.

Manage AR, prepare deposits and perform basic receptionist/customer service tasks in office.
Perform journal entries, balance ledger, perform bank reconciliations, control inventory, coordinate proper guest accommodation.
Post and update of daily sales and purchases into QuickBooks system.
Execute monthly collection of Medicaid surplus funds from clients on a monthly basis.
Post resident receipts, Medicaid remittance, and process adjusting entries to the A/R detail.
Work closely with QC personnel for the planning of tooling and the flow process of PWB's.

Certified public accountant example responsibilities.

Mentor highly skil accounting and tax management team to achieve establish objectives including conformity with GAAP compliance.
Maintain monthly client bookkeeping including bank reconciliations, account payable and prepare preliminary financial statements for CPA review.
Conduct bookkeeping, bank reconciliations and generate general ledgers as well as raise concerns about expenditure classifications and revenue recognition.
Prepare and review month-end close, including journal entries, general ledger account reconciliations, and financial statement supporting documentation.
Gain a working knowledge of audit objectives and procedures in compliance with GAAP and GAAS.
Prepare and monitor audit programs, assist management in design and monitoring of SOX compliance programs.

Bookkeeper vs certified public accountant skills

Common bookkeeper skills

Payroll Tax Returns, 12%
Customer Service, 10%
Reconciliations, 10%
Data Entry, 7%
Journal Entries, 5%
Financial Transactions, 4%

Common certified public accountant skills

CPA, 48%
Customer Service, 22%
IRS, 7%
State Tax Returns, 5%
Payroll Tax Returns, 2%
Financial Statement Preparation, 1%

Bookkeeper vs. similar jobs

Bookkeeper related careers

Bookkeeper related jobs

Bookkeeper jobs by location

Zippia Careers
Office and Administrative Industry
Bookkeeper
Bookkeeper vs Certified Public Accountant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse office and administrative jobs